The City of Chicago in the United States of America is a focus city for United Airlines. Being one of their major mid west hubs for travel within the region, both on United Airlines and other Star Alliance carriers, it offers flights to almost anywhere. During our travel through Chicago O’Hare, we happened to be connecting through to South America. During our lay over, we stopped in at two United Club’s to pass our time.

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This post is one chapter on our trip to South Africa, a Safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya and Mauritius. This trip was redeemed through Air Canada’s Aeroplan and through Starwood Preferred Guest (Marriott Bonvoy) and Hyatt Gold Passport. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.

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Review: United Club, Chicago O’Hare, Terminal 1, Concourse C, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.

“Situated in the outer concourse, the secondary United Club at Chicago O’Hare that lots of square footage and ample views from many windows.”

This review is of the United Club Chicago Terminal One Concourse B. For other lounges at Chicago O’Hare, please see this review of the United Club Chicago Terminal One Concourse C or this review of the United Club Chicago Terminal 2 Concourse F.

Connecting at Chicago O’Hare:

After an hour at the United Club Terminal One Concourse B Lounge, we headed back over to Concourse C where our flight tonight was departing from. We were set to depart tonight to Sao Paulo, Brazil on United Airlines from Gate C18 which was immediately adjacent to the Concourse C lounge. After our time at the United Club Terminal One, Concourse B Lounge, it was back through the tunnel and onwards to the United Terminal One Concourse C Lounge.

Locating the United Club Terminal One Concourse C:

The United Club is located in the outer concourse where the Concourse is Primary occupied by United Airlines and occasionally, Lufthansa. You may need to get here by using the under ground tunnels, or perhaps directly if you are connecting through Concourse C off of other Star Alliance flights.

The main access point is immediately across from Gate C17. Like it’s sister lounge in concourse B, given it’s central location, it’s pretty easy to locate. Unlike the sister lounge, this lounge is all on one level and there is no need to use escalators to access the lounge space.

Accessing the United Club:

The United Clubs have a variety of methods in order to gain access.

A boarding pass for travel in United Polaris business class: Customers in United Polaris business class may access United Club locations at departure, connecting and arrival airports, along their eligible same-day routing.

A boarding pass for travel in United Business (international): Customers traveling internationally in United Business may access United Club locations at departure, connecting and arrival airports along their eligible same-day routing. Customers traveling to and from Canada in United First are eligible for United Business access.

A boarding pass for travel in United Business (premium transcontinental): Customers on premium transcontinental flights may only access United Club locations at the origin and destination of their premium transcontinental flight. Premium transcontinental flights are only between New York/Newark and Los Angeles and New York/Newark and San Francisco.

A boarding pass for travel in first class on a Star Alliance member airline: Customers may only access a United Club location at the departure airport for their international first class flight. One guest is permitted.

A boarding pass for travel in business class on a Star Alliance member airline: Customers may only access a United Club location at the departure airport for their international business class flight.

Star Alliance Gold membership card: a valid Star Alliance Gold membership card and a same-day boarding pass for travel on a flight operated by a Star Alliance member airline and departing from the same airport or a same-day boarding pass showing Star Alliance Gold status, for travel on a flight operated by a Star Alliance member airline and departing from the same airport

A United Club Membership (including a Mileage Plus Credit Card Membership): A boarding pass for same-day travel with valid United Club membership number listed, or a valid United Club membership card and boarding pass for same-day travel, or a valid United Club membership number and boarding pass for same-day travel

A United Club One Time Pass: A valid mobile or paper United Club one-time pass and boarding pass for same-day travel, or a valid 15-digit one-time pass number and boarding pass for same-day travel.

Active duty US Military Members: Active duty United States military members with a valid military ID, boarding pass for travel within 24 hours on a United- or United Express-operated flight and one of the following:

• Dressed in uniform
• Leave orders
• Rest and recuperation papers

Access is subject to United Club seating availability. Family members travelling on the same flight area are also permitted access.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Memberships: A valid Air Canada Maple Leaf Club membership card and a boarding pass for a flight operated by a Star Alliance member airline and departing from the same airport. Maple Leaf Club North America members can access United Club locations in the U.S. only. Maple Leaf Club Worldwide members can access all United Club locations.

Access to the United Club lounge today was provided courtesy of an international business class ticket on an outbound Star Alliance Flight. We were connecting onto Sao Paulo, Brazil on United Airlines later that evening and this qualified us for access.

Inside the United Club Lounge:

The United Club Terminal One Concourse C lounge was much quieter than our experience in the United Club Terminal One Concourse B Lounge. Being situated out on the outer concourse, it is naturally much less busy since it’s not close to any security check points. It’s also less likely to have Concourse B traffic since you’d have to make the effort to travel out here and back in order to enjoy.

Once we were inside, we arrived to the most tired looking lounge of the whole trip. The decor of the lounge was reminiscent of an office conference area of a men’s golf country club. Like it’s sister lounge, there were stacks of seating areas in loungers throughout the lounge making it easy to find a place to sit.

Thanks to lots of square footage in the lounge, there were lots of in flight monitors available to monitor the evening’s departing flights.

Food and Beverage:

There were the usual light bite offerings here typical of a United Lounge. These included the usual snack silos and cello wrapped Tillimook Cheese. The usual United Club snacks were on offer, although most were being packed up already at 8:15 PM., 75 minutes prior to the lounge closing. 

Consistent with all other United Club’s, there was also a full service bar. The bar had a bit of a crowd tonight thanks to a game being on.

My thoughts on the United Club Chicago Terminal One Concourse C:

The United Club Chicago Terminal One, Concourse C is my preferred lounge at Chicago O Hare Airport. Although it doesn’t have the large ceilings of the Concourse B Lounge, it has lots of space to stretch out and sit with great tarmac views thanks to great windows. It’s also typically a quieter experience thanks to less passengers in the outer concourse.

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